And lo, did the Ottawa Senators begin a casual dominance hastened to an end by the hated Winnibargian Jethisens

 Varada

You might have heard that Ottawa is rebuilding. Well, sorry, but you’re wrong. They’re sitting 5th in the conference, their playoff probability is up in the high-80s these days, and Murray is saying things about adding at the deadline. I’m not really a fan of your 2nd-round-pick-for-Andy-Sutton sorta deals (though I don’t hate them either). Especially because we don’t have a 2nd round pick anymore (THANKS A LOT, KYLE) and Kuba’s not going anywhere. What I would love is for Murray to add someone at the deadline that will make an impact, but that the team also has a realistic chance of re-signing long-term.

I don’t know about those chances, by my dream acquisition begins and ends with Zach Parise. With Alfredsson set to retire either this year or next, the team is going to need a winger with a scoring touch who is known for solid leadership and responsible two-way hockey. Wishful thinking, I know: Parise is the best pending UFA on the market, which means he’s bound for Toronto, New York, or Philadelphia. (And some other, previously-coveted UFA is bound for the Swiss League or the minors to make room. Salary cap schmalery schmap.)

According to this totally authoritative piece (Sun Media, you say? Who is this enterprising Bruce Garrioch fellow?) it would take a “young player, a prospect, and a 1st round pick” to get him. The latter two of those Ottawa has. The first I can’t imagine them parting with, unless you consider Nick Foligno sufficient trade bait. (He’s not.) Would you be willing to trade, say, Mika Zibanejad (especially now that we’ve got this other 2nd line center guy)? How about a Jared Cowen?

Any other UFAs on this list that tickle your belly? There ain’t much. Ales Hemsky? Shane Doan? Alex Semin? Tuomo Ruutu? We could probably get Brad Boyes for about $50. It says here we could trade for Filip Kuba.
Anyway – I would go all out to get Zach Parise, and then throw everything at him to sign long-term. What say you?

James

I would not could not on a train, I would not could not listening to Nirvana’s “On A Plain” (now available on iTunes)!

Before I get into it, it was too bad both Cullen and Sutton couldn’t be kept around, I liked those guys during their short stints. They were good acquisitions at the time but in the long run I guess it kind of worked out because of their respective ages and the current team model dont really mesh. I liked them for the Sens then, but the now Sens dont really need them.

All that said, “I’m well over it, mate” – British People. I don’t really disagree with your idea of “if we’re going to get someone let’s get someone next level.” To me clearly this is not a team that is in all that big a need to acquire a gritty two way forward who can stop em, drop em or shut em down open up shop em (Zack Smith) or an aging but still effective power play specialist (Sergei Gonchar) or blah di blah. The team currently has a lot of the kind of guys Murray would try to pick up in the past. Mayyyybe we see Kuba go b/c of his expiring contract (gotta get that second back) and Phillips aint goin nowhere even if he could because I cant see the Sens moving him after 1000 games with the organization. The optics of that would be really bad. Who are we Montreal? (I kid, all teams GMs have the capacity for that kind of crap).

Back to the essence, no, I would not pay a Mika Zibanejad, Jared Cowen (that guy would be the DUMBEST to give up. Its’ not like there’s other 20 year old Dmen laying around, ready to step in a play 25 mins a night! Stand PAT BryMurr, you won that hand already)…I don’t even think I would pay a Nick Foligno, a first round pick that’s playing great right now. I wouldn’t want to part with the any of the first round picks acquired just a few months ago. So what I’m saying is I basically hope they don’t swap anybody right now.

Since when is this such a “thing” too? Just b/c your team makes the playoffs you gotta go get some other guy? I know, I know…it’s about giving your team the best chance and stuff but I think IT IS STILL A REBUILD (to me at least). I would love for Turris to be the big move of the year. I think he’s a top six acquisition that has made the team better. Mission: So Far So Goodomplished. It worked out great, quit while you’re ahead Murray! I want him to hold a press conference at 6am on trade deadline day and with his best J. Jonah Jamieson voice be all “IM NOT CHANGIN A GAAAAD DAAAMN THING. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE A DEAL CALL ME!” and then slap on of those 1-800-EAT-SHIT bumper stickers on his forehead, pose for pictures for like 5 seconds and then drop the mic and leave.

Am I going to get that? Probably not. As such I am actually hoping for a Jesse Winchester/Brian Lee for a different KIND of Jesse Wincheser/Brian Lee type deals that we’ll forget about in two seasons. Actually, I would probably like to see a deal for a different backup goalie seeing as Anderson is playing literally every single game right now. That’s the one thing that hasn’t clicked for the Sens this year, otherwise there is some crazy good chemistry I wouldn’t mess with.  Remember when George W. Bush stayed the course and everything worked out amazing? I want that too.

The main thing that gets my mind grapes going about a big fish type acquisition/signing is that our 3rd highest scorer is THIRTY NINE and if he needs to be replaced or given a bit of a lesser role for the next 10 years that he is going to play, that’s gotta get done at some point. I think we’re finally at a stage where the prospects are plentiful, role players are working out and bigger stars are producing. I’d like to see if we have a Zack Parise in the system. It’s not outlandish to think that. We took three players in the first round and with Zibanejad playing the wing more and Silfverberg coming over, I think that sticking with them is a safer bet than giving up everything on the first date for a guy who could jump ship come summer.

Notice how I didn’t even get into Hemsky (blech, injury prone and can’t hang in Edmonton at this point?), Doan (I want the Sens to stay getting young not older), Alex Semin (I cant think of a good Kovalev joke right now but you could imagine if I could!), the OTHER Ruutu (mmmm, maybe I’d be down for this dude if the price was kind of low. Maybe Carolina would take Kuba for him…you KNOW they miss Kaberle).